Dust-guard for journal-boxes.



No. 769,670. PATENTED SEPT. 6, 1904. T. H. SYMINGTON.

DUST GUARD FOR JOURNAL BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5, 1904. N0 MODEL.

M A I 1 A I) E1 minesses; in rem/or:

f $0M; f6.

UNTTED STATES Patented September 6, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS HARRISON SYMlNG-TON, OF BAUllMORE. MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE T. H. SYMINGTON COMPANY, OF BAHIHORE, MARYLAND, A

CORPORATION OF DELAW'ARE.

JOURNAL-BOXES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,670, dated September 6, 1904.

Application filed February 5, 1904.

To all whmn it Tmzq concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS HARRISON SYM- INGTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, State of Marylanchhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dust- (iHitITlS for Journal-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved dust guard for journal-boxes of car-axles.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved device of this character in which the dust-guard plate will be supported with respect to the rear end of the box, so as to insure a perfect joint with the latter and yet permit certain freedom of movement of the journal-box with respect to said guard-plate.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved construction in which the weight of the dust-guard plate is wholly sustained by the box.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved device for holding the guard in place, but which will permit same to be moved freely in any direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction for holding the guard-plate in position that will not become deranged or injured by use.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates a side elevation of a journal-box with the improved guard construction. Fig. 2 shows a rear elevation of the box and the guard-plate. Fig. 3 shows a part horizontal section and a part plan view of the journal-box and guard-plate. Fig. A illustrates another form of device for securing the helical spring at the side of the box.

In the drawings, A designates a journal-box of any preferred construction and provided at the rear with the usual opening a, through which the outer end B of the axle B projects. At the rear and surrounding said opening the box is provided with an annular rim .71, which is machined off to form a perfectly smooth surface. At each of the vertical sides the box is provided with asemicircular recess C, which latter extend vertically from the top to the Serial No. 192,071. (No model.)

bottom of the box, and said recesses are each provided with a part annular groove 0, which extends in a horizontal plane around said recesses. Arch-bar bolts D extend vertically through the arch-bars D at opposite sides of the box down through the said recesses O, and said bolts have their lower ends projecting through a cross-bar D beneath the box, to which they are secured by nuts (Z. It will thus be seen that the boxes are secured to the arch-bars D by the bolts D.

The d ust-guard plate E comprises a circular plate provided at diametrically opposite sides with laterally-projecting ears E, which latter project beyond the side walls A of the box, and also having a central bore or opening through which the journal end of the axle B projects into the box. This central bore or opening E is slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of the d ust-guard face B of the axle in order that the axle may have a snug fit, but turn freely in said opening. The face of the guard-plate E adjoining the box is also machined off to form a smooth surface b,which latter is in contact with the annular rim 1) on the end of the box. The laterally-projecting ears E of the guard-plate are each provided with a flange 12, which projects in a direction parallel with and takes over the side walls A of the box, as clearly seen in 1 and 2. These flanges permit the guard-plate E to rotate very slightly around the axle, but to limit such rotation by contacting with the sides of the box and acting as stops. provided in each of the flanges 1:, and a staple f is inserted in each of said slots from the outer side, and the ends of said staples are bent laterally on the side of the plate adjoining the wheels G.

A clevis comprising a split ring 7L has position in the annular horizontal groove 0 and takes around the arch-bar bolt D, and a coiled spring i is connected at one end with said split ring, while the other end of said spring is attached to the staple f on the guard-plate.

It will be seen that the split ring 71 has position slightly above the horizontal center of the box, while the ears E and 1. on the guard:

A slot is plate E have position a little lowerthat is, on the horizontal center of said box. This is an important feature in that it throws the coiled springs 2' in an inclined position, with their lower ends connecting the dust-guard plate, and draws said plate in a horizontal direction against the annular rim 7) and also has a lifting tendency sufiicient to place the weight of the plate on the box.

By reference to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the higher ends of the coiled spring may be secured to a hook j, projecting from the side of the box, in lieu of the split ring shown in the other figures.

It will be seen that the inclined coiled springs are at one end connected to a stationary part of the box, while the other ends of said springs are each connected to the guard-plate E. This arrangement causes the springs ,to act as a resilent pivoted connection between the box and guard-plate and permit the said plate to move freely in a vertical plane and also have a slight rotary movement around the dust-guard face of the axle, thus insuring that the Wear will be distributed over the entire bearing-surfaces and that the guard-plate will be maintained in close contact with the box.

One practical ad vantage gained by this construction of guard is that the guard-plate may be first placed on the axle, and the box subsequently put into place and the two connected afterward without difficulty.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A journal-box having a rear opening, in combination with a dust-guard plate in contact with the rear of the box around said opening and a device for sustaining the guardplate having one end pivotally connected to said plate and its other end pivotally connected at the side of the box, said sustaining device being resilient and unrestrained in its movement between its pivoted ends.

2. Ajournal-box havinga rear opening, in combination with a dust-guard plate having frictional contact around said box-opening,

and pivoted spiral springs attached at one end to said guard-plate and having their other ends sustained at the side of the box, said springs being free and unrestrained between their ends and movable in any direction.

3. A journal-box having a rear opening through which the axle passes, in combination with a dust-guard plate, and a coiled spring at each side of the box for sustaining the guard-plate, said springs having an inclined position the higher ends being attached to the box and the lower ends connected with the said guard-plate.

4. A journal-box having a rear opening through which the axle passes, in combination with a dust-guard plate provided at each side with alaterally-projecting car; a coiled spring loosely connected by one end to each of said dust-guard ears and extending toward the front of the box and secured at the sides of the latter, said springs serving to resiliently and pivotally support the guard-plate against the end of the box.

5. A journal-box having a rear opening through which the axle passes, in combination with a dust-guard plate having a stop-flange at diametrically opposite sides which extend vertically and in a direction parallel with the side walls of the box and serve to limit the circular movement of the plate, and a resilientpivoted connection between said box and guard-plate and permitting a partial circular movement of said plate around the axle and also a vertical movement with respect to the box.

6. A journal-box having a rear opening through which the axle passes and also having at each of its two sides avertically-extending semicircular recess, saidrecesses each having a horizontal groove; an arch-bar bolt passing through each of said recesses; a dustguard plate; acoiled spring at each side of said box and connected at one end to said guard-plate and the other end of said spring connected to a clevis which has position in the said horizontal groove of said recesses.

7. A journal-box having a rear opening through which the axle passes, in combination with a dust-guard plate having frictional contact with the box around said opening and pivoted tension devices wholly sustaining the guard-plate and movable in any direction with the guard-plate.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS HARRISON SYMINGTQN.

Witnesses:

G. FERDINAND VOGT, S. JOHN W'ILLIA'MsoN. 

